I want a persimmon tree and I want it badly. I love the sight of the fruit hanging on the leafless trees just before the Christmas season. And I love their taste too. I know they are not native to Central Europe and they might need some work, but there is a chance that I can have one, right? In the spring I purchased two persimmon trees. When I started this project, they seemed to not make it so I decided to fight my urge to have a persimmon tree with heavy weaponry. I have purchased 300 /three hundred/ persimmon seeds. One hundred from each species mentioned below. So can I have a persimmon now ? This project is all about propagating a persimmon. Some basic information I got from the internet.

-There are 3 main species of persimmon: Dyospiros kaki – the Asian persimmon, Dyospiros virginiana – American persimmon and the Dyospiros Lotus – the Date plum.

- To start a persimmon from seed is hard

- To start persimmons from seed you have to stratify them. It means you have to simulate winter, which you can do by putting them into the fridge for  3-4 months.

- The most cold-hardy persimmon is the American persimmon

Test 1.  Starting persimmon seeds without stratification:

I have planted 5 seeds from each variety in a pot. Before planting them I let them soak for 24 hours in lukewarm water. After about 30 days 2 american, 1 asian and 2  date plums emerged. Some other activity is happening too so there might be more. The final results are:

- American persimmon   2 out of 5 germination rate 40%

- Asian persimmon  6 out of 5 germination rate 120% oops… I guess we can settle with 100%

- Date Plum 5 out of 5 germination rate 100%

Test 2. Starting seeds with stratification

30 seeds from each variety are in the fridge now, waiting until March to be planted.